Electric clock.



No. 702,299. Patented lune l0,- I902.

F. FRICK.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed Sept. 16, 1901.)

(No Model.)

m T N E V m mum 1i UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FRED FRIOK, OF XVAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

sPEoIFrcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,299, dated June 10, 1902.

Application filed September 16, 1901. Serial 110.75.492. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it Uta/y concern:

Be it known that I, FRED FRICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVaynesboro, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in an improved construction of secondary clocks for use in an electric-clock system whereby a positive driving pressure of uniform power is at all times exerted against the escapementwheel for driving the hands forward, and, further, whereby the movement is rendered positive and uniform regardless of the position of the hands or their relative gravity, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the mechanism of a secondary clock embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, a section through the same on the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse section on the dotted line 3 3 in the same figure; Fig. 4, a detail view of the armature-lever separately; Fig. 5, a rear elevation as seen looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 2, and Figs. 6 and 7 views illustrating a modified form of pallet.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the side plates forming part of the frame, B the arbor on which the hands are mounted, and O the magnets.

The plates A are secured together by rods or posts a in the usual or any approved manner to form the frame for supporting the mechanism. The arbor B is mounted in the frame in the well-known manner. The magnets G are preferably mounted to extend across the bottom of the frame, being secured to a bar or yoke c, which is rigidly fastened between the side plates A, as shown. These portions and the ordinary train of gear by which the hands are connected to revolve at the proper relative speeds are all of common or any appropriate construction and arrangement and need no special description, being shown to illustrate a complete device for the purpose of making the invention more easily understood.

A winding ratchet wheel 1 is mounted loosely on arbor B, having a pin 2 extending out from one side and pivoted with a long hub 3 on the same side. The escapement-wheel d is mounted rigidly on said arbor alongside the outer end of said hub, and on the outer end of its hub 5 is mounted a backlash ratchet-wheel 6. The escapement 4 is also provided with a pin 7, similar to pin 2 and projecting from its side adjacent to the ratchetwheel 1. The hub 3 is secured in place on the arbor by a collar 8, provided with a set-screw 9. The verge or pallet 10 is mounted on an arborll directly above the eseapement-wheel a and is formed in a novel manner. It consists of a disk with an appropriate hub for securing it to the arbor and provided with a flange 12 around its outer edge. One side is then cut off, the cut through the flange being made to conform to the size of the tooth with which it will make contact in operation in order that there may be no binding in operation. I find that this form of pallet can be made at much less expense than the ordinary form, as the interior of the flange can be quickly and easily ground to a true circle on a grinding-machine and the faces formed with little labor and for these reasons prefer to use it; but, as will be readily understood, any form of pallet may be used, if preferred. An armature c is mounted on the end of a lever 13, adjacent to the pole of magnet C, said lever being mounted on an arbor 15 and provided with an extension 14:, to the outer end of which is pivoted a pawl 16, which engages with the teeth of ratchet-wheel 1. A spring 17, connected at one end with the top of part 14;, bears upon the top of said pawl 16 and holds it into engagement with said teeth. The part 1a is secured to part 13 by being pivoted at one end on arbor 15, and at a point above a clampingscrew passes through a slot therein and into ascrew-threadcd perforation in part 13, thus permitting the part 14 to be adjusted to bring the engaging point of the pawl into proper relation with the teeth of wheel 1. An arm 19 is mounted in a transverse perforation in arbor 15 and extends upwardly toward arbor 11, being formed with a loop or socket 20 on its upper end. A similar arm 21 is mounted in arbor 11 and extends downwardly, its lower end projecting into said loop or socket. A pawl 22, pivoted on a stud on one side of the frame, engages with the teeth of ratchet-wheel 1 and prevents any back movement thereof, a spring 22 opcrating to hold said pawl into engagement at all times. Around arbor 15 is coiled a spring 24-, which bears at its front end against the rear side of lever 13 and tends to throw it and the pawl 16 forward, a stop 25 being provided against which the front edge of part 1st strikes to limit the forward movement of the pawl to the properpoint. Around thehub 3 is mounted a coiled spring 26, one end of which is at tached to the pin 2 of ratchet-wheel 1 and the other end of which is attached to pin 7 of the escapement-wheel A pawl 27, similar to pawl 22 and mounted on the opposite side of the frame, engages the teeth of ratchetwheel 6 and holds it against any backward movement.

The operation is as follows: The parts be ing arranged as shown and described, wheel 1 is turned on the arbor B to wind the spring 26 to the required tension, pawl 22 operating to hold said wheel from backward movement. The force of said spring is thus directed against pin 7 of wheel i, normally tending to force said wheel and the arbor on which it is mounted and the hand operating-gear driven thereby forward under a constant and uniform pressure. The pallet 10 holds said wheel and governs its movement and is operated by the magnet as follows: The circuit being closed by the master-clock M, as is well understood, the magnet is energized, which draws down the armature (J and turns the arbor 15, on which it is mounted. The arm 19 is thus carried forward and through the arm 21 rocks the arbor 11, on which the pallet is mounted, to release the tooth of the escapement-wheel with which it is engaged on one side and fall into engagement with a tooth on its opposite side, the spring 26 operating to force said escapement-wheel forward the distance permitted by said pallet, which is the space of half a tooth. The circuit being broken, the spring 2% immediately throws the parts back into their first position, the escapement-wheel being again permitted to move the space of half a tooth under the force of spring 26. The pawl 16 has at the same time and by the same movement of arbor 15 through the lever 13 1aand pawl 16 operated to move winding ratchet-wheel 1 the same distance with the eseapement-wheel et, and thus maintains the tension of the spring 26 as desired. By this arrangement, as will be seen, every movement is positive, there is no possibility of slipping or too rapid movement when the weight of the hands is not the same, as in some clocks of this character, and a positive force is directed against the mechanism for moving it forward. at all times. In. Figs. 6 and 7 a form of pallet is shown wherein substantially the same advantages are secured, the engaging points or projections 11 being formed on the ends of the arms P to project out from the side at right angles therewith, being ground on the are of a circle and cut as are the engaging points of the pallet shown in the principal views.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Lott rs Patent, is-- 1. In an electric clock, the combination of an escape-wheel, means for applying power to said escape-wheel, and means for controlling the movement of said escape-wheel,whieh last means is operated by the means for applying the power to the escape-wheel.

2. In a secondary clock, the combination, of the frame, the magnet, the armature, the driving mechanism, an escapcment wheel mounted on an arbor, a wheel mounted loosely on. said arbor alongside said escapementwheel, a spring connected to the escapementwheel at one end and connected atits other end to said loosely-meunted wheel, connections from the armature to said eseapement-wheel for controlling its movement, and connections from said armature to said loosely-mounted wheel. for moving it with said escapementwheel, substantially as set forth.

An electric clock comprising an escape ment-wheel connected with means for holding it under a constant forward tension, means for maintaining the tension, means for controlling the escapement-wheel, and an armature connected both with the means for maintaining the tension of the escapementwheel, and with the means for controlling its movement, whereby both are operated from the same armature, substantially as set forth.

i. In an electric clock, the combination, of the frame, and the operating mechanism comprising a magnet, an armature, a pivoted lever connected with said armature, an escapement-wheel, the pallet, aconnection between said pallet and said lever, a connection between said lever and a winding-wheel, said windingwheel, a coiled spring mounted around the arbor on which said wheels are mounted with one end connected to the escapement-wheel and the other to said winding-wheel, and means for holding said parts against backward movement, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electric clock, the combination, of the frame, the magnet, the train of gears, the escapement-wheel mounted rigidly 011 its arbor, said arbor, the pallet also mounted rigidly on its arbor, said arbor, a second wheel mounted loosely on the escapement-wheel arbor alongside said escapement wheel, a coiled spring surrounding said arbor and connected at one end to said escapementavheel and at its other end to said loosely-mounted wheel, means for holding said wheels against backward movement, an armature mounted on one end of a lever adjacent to the pole of the magnet, said lever mounted on an arbor, said arbor, a connection from said arbor to the arbor of the pallet for operating said pallet, and a pawl on said lever engaging the teeth of said loosely-mounted wheel for advancing it as said escapement Wheel advances, whereby the tension of said spring is maintained, substantially as set forth.

6. An electric clock comprising an escape wheel, a spring arranged with its tension directed to move said escape-wheel forward, means for positively locking and releasing said escape-wheel, and a single operating mechanism to maintain the tension of the spring and to operate the escape-wheel-controlling device, substantially as set forth.

'7. In an electric clock, the combination of the escapement-wheel, means for positively locking and releasing said escapement-wheel, a spring for forcing the said escapementwheel forward, mechanism for winding said spring to maintain its tension, and an armature connected both with the escapementwheel-controlling device and the mechanism for winding the spring for operating them,

whereby both are positively and simultaneously operated, substantially as set forth.

8. In an electric clock, the combination of an escapement-wheel, means for controlling it, means for operating it, a single armature connected to both the controlling and the operating means, and the magnet for controlling the operation of the armature, substantially FRED Enron. n S.]

Witnesses:

J. G. BENEDICT, ALE. N. RUssELL. 

